I have not read a bunch on the list, but do you think they agree with the source material.

Some movies that come from books I wouldn't really call adaptations. David Brin's Postman and Stephen King's Running Man come to mind when I think of movies where they could have skipped paying the author money.

Speaking of King, his short stories always seem to do better at being adapted. Shawshank is great, but so are Stand by Me and Green Mile.

Some movies that come from books I wouldn't really call adaptations. David Brin's Postman and Stephen King's Running Man come to mind when I think of movies where they could have skipped paying the author money.

I think it depends on what you mean by a great film adaptation. If you are looking for a really good movie or if you are looking for a really good movie that is really true to (at least the spirit of) a really good book.

I think it depends on what you mean by a great film adaptation. If you are looking for a really good movie or if you are looking for a really good movie that is really true to (at least the spirit of) a really good book.

I don't know if you need to put the 'really good' in really good book.

The Princess Bride is one of the closest adaptations I can think of. While the book is good, it doesn't rise to the greatness that the movie does. Why is it such a good adaptation? Well the author of the book did the screenplay, and the author has some chops at writting them. William Goldsmith has an academy award for Butch and Sundance.

To tell the truth, the book reads like a novelization of the movie, even though it was published 10 years before the movie was made.

I stumbled onto him way, way back when in the early 70s. For some reason, a book called "Boys and Girls Together" caught my eye - maybe it was someone's blurbs. Made me want to read everything by him I could get hold of, including books that were made into movies (No Way To Treat A Lady, Soldier in the Rain, Marathon Man) and looked forward to his name on movie credits. I've meant to read, but have not as yet, The Princess Bride.

IMO he has rarely disappointed. BTW, the books I've read of the movies are in my memory better than the movies, although the movies had their own moments.